PINE is one of OSL Projects in last project season of 2015 at An Hiep Commune, Ba Tri district, Ben Tre province, in association with 18 volunteers from Yishun Junior College, 3 volunteers from Việt Nam and the support of 2 members of ECO Vietnam Group, to complete 2 toilets of An Hiep 2 Primary School – make opportunities for local residents to develop and improve their living & education condition, especially for the local children there.

The main activities of project includes: complete 2 toilets at An Hiep 2 Primary School, teaching English for local children at An Hiep 1, do house working everyday and organize cultures night with local residents.

Activity Process

22/11/2015:

15:00 pm, 5 volunteers from Việt Nam and Mr.Harry ( President of EVG) and Ms.Yen (Director of EVG) gathered at Tan Son Nhat airport.

15:00 pm, Vietnamese team met and took picture with Singaporean volunteers at the airport.

16:00 pm, started to go to Ben Tre

18:00 pm, arrived at Ben Tre, checked in hotel

19:00 pm, had dinner at Ben Tre

20:00 pm, back to hotel and slept.

23/11/2015 – 29/11/2015:

Main jobs in 7 days here at An Hiep: building toilet at An Hiep 2 Primary school, teaching English for children at An Hiep 1 Primary School ( from 3 grade to 5 grade), doing houseworking, visiting poor household and organizing Cultures Exchange with local residents..

Building toilet at An Hiep 2 Primary School:

The first day when we came to construction area, the builders had arrived before , prepared everything for us to begin. Our main mission is completing toilet ( includes 1 for men and 1 for woman).

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The main work when we built the toilet was mixing the ciment, putting the brisk and plastering the wall.

Mixing the ciment was really a new and interesting experience for all of us. In the very first time, we just could only look at the way the builder worked, his skill and learned that a needy texture contained: sand, ciment, water with an exact proportion. And the proportion for putting the brisk and plastering the wall was also different. Because of all those difficulties and complicated things, as well as our clumsiness in the first time working, everything turned out not to be so easy and quick. In spite of all these barriers, all members of building team everyday still tried all their best to complete their mission the best way they can. Sometimes, because of the state of the work that day, not all members could have work to do, it was the time we felt useless .This situation occurred more in the first days, and then, the next days, when everyone got used to their work and learn more things, they could themselves found their work that they could do. I think this improvement was really good and useful.

Making a hole is also a challenge for all of us. This job requires not only patience, but also needs the coordination of team. The first time we have done, most of team felt tired and wanted to give up because the result is not easy to clear, sweating profusely like rain but it seems we will never know when this work get finish. However, little by little, things changed, their skill was improved day by day, by the support of the builder, the hole finally was completed through 2 non-stop working days.

During the work, we could not forget the enthusiasm of all you guys, who was in charge of making the hole, bringing all needy tools, from ciment, brisk to water. Sometimes they was quick, sometimes they was slow, but they all met our demand when we needed.

Results: We completed 70% the toilet. There was a little regret, we could not go to the end to see a perfect result, anyway, everybody did try their best, made efforts as much as they can for the work. We learnt a lot about the patience both in work and in life, the we shouldn’t be afraid of any challenge. We need to learn the way to always be ready whenever the unexpected things come, learn how to listen others more and more, how to try our best for all thing we do.

Thank you the builders so much for helping, teaching and supporting us day by day, despite all our clumsiness and slowness

Teaching English for local

We have English teaching lessons everyday from Monday to Friday, one class in the morning and one in the afternoon, each lasts for about two hours.

Teaching is a happy, interesting and joyful job. Having opportunities to meet, to teach,to play and work with the cutest kids must be the luckiest experience for each of us. The children are all cute, active and kind. Not just teaching, we also learned many important things from them, especially their spirit to learn, to find about new things, their spirit to win, to overcome all the barriers that make their learning not just easy as children with better conditions in other places.

Teaching was not a simple task. On the contrary, it was so difficult and complicated in many times. First, it was difficult to control the class well. They are all children, they are active and sometimes naughty and hyperactive. They just cannot concentrate on the lessons all the times. Second, because of language barriers between S-team and V-team, between S-team and the local children, sometimes the result is not good.. When we looked at the class and realized that not all could understand the lesson well, we felt so sad and disappointed. We wanted to bring as much as knowledge that we could, because the children are really precious.

We focus on teaching them small and simple conversations, not vocabulary. Because we want the kids to become more and more active and confident in communicating by English. Besides, we tried creating games during the lesson with small and special gifts to attract them. Not only stopped at teaching English, we also taught them Science, for example, the animals model.

Results: We made sure that after each lesson, at least 80% students can understand and remember what we taught, that they can be confident when have short conversation in English. Moreover, day by day, we are closer with the kids, not only taught, we also played with them after class, talked with them, sang with them. We understood them more and more, love them more and more. We made them understand that: everyone all loves them and hope them have better learning condition. Teaching activity was also a great chance for us : V-team and S-team became more closer, deleted our gap between us, helped us interact with each others more, and helped us have better teamwork.

Housework

This was done by a team included 4 to 5 Singaporean volunteers and 1 Vietnamese volunteer, we changed the team doing housework everyday so that they could try other work too. All we had to do is: set up the table for breakfast, lunch and dinner, wash dishes, and toilet everyday. Moreover, we also helped the cook prepare the food, dessert, sweep the school yard, replace the garbage bags and take the garbage around the school.

All the logistics needed were well-provided by ECO Vietnam Group and local government. The works were divided to the team very clearly. But the S-team was not used to washing dishes or cleaning stuffs, so the housework did not bring the best results in some first days..Later, when we got used to the cleaning work, we cooperated and did it more efficiently. The living and activity environment were clean and met the requirements.

Results: All housework was done with high responsibility and willingness to cooperate.

Culture Night:

The Culture Night was on stage from 6h30 pm to 8h00 pm, and then Camp Fire till 9h30, with the attendance of Principal of An Hiep 1 Primary School, Represent of ECO Vietnam Group, local residents ( especially cute kids), V Team and S Team.

We had performances of Principal, the children, V-Team, S-team, a traditional dancing performance of both team. S-team brought some Singapore traditional food to the children. This was amazing experience for both of V-team and local residents.

Camp Fire was organized with enthusiasm and enjoyment of all people attended. We danced and played together in a warm and joyful atmosphere.

Results: The performances occurred in a warm and friendly atmosphere with a lot of laughs. All the kids and the people came and enjoyed the show and the Camp Fire. Although we made some mistake but anyway, that night will be unforgettable for everyone.

Thoughts about the project

Thoughts of Loan, a Vietnamese volunteers of ECO Vietnam Group:

During 9 days without works, studying… left behind the noise of HCM city and set my foot to the new land, do things I have never ever done, meet the people I have never ever known before.

Nine days is not long enough but it left the nostalgia that takes a long time to forget. This was the first time I had stepped out of border, came out of my shell to live with enthusiasm.

Nine days with all feelings and so many different works: happiness, sadness, crying, tired…but never wanted to give up, never ever.

Live in the love of the common people, new brothers, new friends, but I felt I have met them for a long time. They are so gentle and kind. S-team is people who are friendly and happy. I have never imagined that I can make friends with foreigners but now I realized a lot of things, that we can do it if we really want it enough, I need to come out of me shell to live a meaningful life.

This was also the first time I could do what I want, and I realized my enthusiasm when I am a teacher here. Thanks you – ECO Vietnam Group because bringing me an opportunity, a meaningful trip to do helpful things for out community.